Limerick man missing off Long Island, NY, beach

Coast Guard off Long Beach calls off search for 30-year-old Brooklyn resident last seen swimming in chopping waters at 2am with friends.

A 30-year-old Irishman, believed to be from Limerick, is missing having entered the sea at Long Beach, Long Island with two friends on Monday evening.

Neil Gibbons, a resident of Greenpoint, Brooklyn, reported by the Limerick Leader newspaper to be a native of County Limerick, was last seen at 2am on Monday (June 25) when he entered the water with friends near Long Beach Boulevard.

The man’s two friends made it back to sure and notified the Coast Guard that Gibbons was missing. NBC Local reports that the waters have been so rough in the area that the Coast Guard declined to send divers into the water, searching by boat and air.

Paul Gillespie, chief lifeguard at Long Beach, told NBC "It was very bad last night.

“No one should have gone in last night, especially with no lifeguards there, which we have that problem, unfortunately."

Lifeguards are on duty in the area from 9 am to 6 pm. After searching more than 650 miles and for 29 hours, the Coast Guard called off the operation overnight.